“Fernando played in the Premier League, played for his national team, played Europa League finals, played I don’t know how many games in Spain in La Liga so I didn’t have any doubts about him.

“He has experience, he has quality and my surprise is that he was able to come in because it is difficult to find players like him, a good defender, a left-footer, left-back, and for me it’s a pleasure.”

Karanka first met Amorebieta at the end of his playing career when he returned to Athletic Bilbao 10 years ago.

At the time, the future Boro boss was a senior pro while the young defender was establishing himself as a player of huge potential promise.

“He came through the Athletic Bilbao academy, I met him when he was 18, 19-years-old so I know him really, really well,” said Karanka.

“I knew from the first moment when he arrived here he would settle into the changing room really well.

“Now everybody is looking at him on the pitch and seeing what a good player he is.”

Amorebieta is expected to feature for Venezuela in the forthcoming internationals against Paraguay (October 8) and Brazil (October 14).